Water walkers



April 9, 1963 1. N. WHEAT 3,084,356

WATER WALKERS Filed Oct. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY A ril 9,1963 1. N." WHEAT 3,084,356

WATER WALKERS Filed Oct. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 12 KZCQI {liq q: f H

v 12 um D U U INVENTOR Ira N. Wh e01 ATTORNEY t 1 igg rates Thisinvention relates to water walkers, and it concerns more particularlybuoyant supporting and traction means for use in walking on water.

An object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting and tractionmeans adapted to be employed in pairs, one for each foot, for use inwalking on water.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means, for use in walking on water, comprising a pair ofboards, one for each foot, each characterized by its inherent buoyancyand having a plurality of hinged flaps depending from its under side,and means on each of the boards coacting with the flaps thereof torestrict pivotal movement of the flaps upon longitudinal movement of theboard in each direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means as described in which the arrangement is such that theflaps of each board are caused to depend vertically from the board, toretard rearward movement of the board, in a walking movement, by theresistance of the water, acting on the flaps, to rearward movement ofthe board, while the flaps are adapted to be deflected rearwardly, topermit unrestricted forward movement of the board, by the resistance ofthe water, acting on the flaps, to forward movement of the board.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means as described in which each of the boards has a strapwhereby it is adapted to be removably connected to a foot, and theboards are slidably and pivotally connected to each other adjacentopposite ends thereof by a pair of sliding, articulated joints wherebythe boards are capable of being employed in a walking movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means as described in which the inherent buoyancy of each ofthe boards is sufficient to support the weight of the user,independently of the other board, during a walking movement in which theweight of the user is alternately shifted from one board to the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means as described in which the sliding, articulated jointseach consist of a pair of rods each arranged parallel to a longitudinaledge of one of the boards, in spaced apart relation thereto, and rigidlyconnected thereto at its ends, and a connecting element consisting of apair of tubes rigidly connected in parallel, spaced apart relation toeach other and each slidably and pivotally connected to one of the rods.

Another object of the invention is to provide buoyant supporting andtraction means adapted to be employed in pairs, one for each foot, foruse in walking on water, comprising a pair of boards each characterizedby its inherent buoyancy, and having a plurality of hinged flapsdepending from its under side, means on each of the boards coacting withthe flaps thereof to restrict pivotal movement of the flaps uponlongitudinal movement of the board in each direction, and a pair ofpoles each connected at one end to one of the boards.

Another object of the invention is to provide hand operable propulsionmeans, for use in conjunction with buoyant supporting and traction meansadapted to be employed in pairs, one for each foot, for use in walkingon water, comprising a pair of boards each characterized by its inherentbuoyancy, and having a plurality of hinged flaps depending from itsunder side, means on each of the boards coacting with the flaps thereofto reice strict pivotal movement of the flaps upon longitudinal movementof the board in each direction, and a pair of poles each pivotallyconnected at one end to the top side of one of the boards.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus as describedwhich is of simple, rugged construction, may be manufacturedinexpensively, and is efficient in operation and durable in use.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pair of water walkers embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view, showing the water walkers in one of theiroperating positions;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the water walkers inanother of their operating positions;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the water walkers in the positionshown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE3;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view, on an enlargedscale, taken on the line 88 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 .is a fragmentary sectional elevational view, on an enlargedscale, taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary top plan view, on an enlarged scale, showinga portion of the apparatus;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of theapparatus shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of theinvention;

' FIGURE 13 is a side elevational view thereof, pantly broken away; and

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary front elevational view.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 11 of the drawing, the apparatus shownincludes a pair of bro-ads, each designated generally by the numeral .1,one for each foot, which are characterized by their inherent buoyancy.The boards 1 each consist of a body of molded expanded cellular material2, which has a water-proof covering 3, formed of plastic material,bonded thereto.

The boards 1 each has a plurality of hinged flaps 4 depending from itsunder side. The hinge of each of the flaps 4, indicated by the numeral5, is disposed within a recess 6 in the under side of the board 1. Therecesses 6 each have a vertically extending wall surface 7, for abuttingengagement with one side of the corresponding flap 4, and an inclinedwall surface 8, for abutting engagement with the opposite side of theflap 4, to restrict pivotal movement of the flap 4 upon longitudinalmovement of the board 1 in each direction. Each flap 4- has its outerend 4' bent outwardly at an obtuse angle whereby the flap 4 is initiallyextended by the water resistance to operative position, as shown inFIGURES 4, 8, 11 and 13.

The arrangement is such that the flaps 4 of each board 1 are caused todepend vertically from the board 1, to retard rearward movement of theboard 1, in a walking movement, by the resistance of the water, actingon the flaps 4, to rearward movement of the board 1, while the flaps 4are adapted to be deflected rearwardly, to permit unrestricted forwardmovement of the board 1, by the resistance of the water, acting on theflaps 4, to forward movement of the board 1.

Each {if the boards 1 has a strap 9 whereby it is adapted to beremovably connected to a foot 10, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4.The boards 1 are slidably and pivotally connected to each other adjacentopposite ends thereof by a pair of sliding, articulated joints,indicated generally by the numerals 11, whereby the boards 1 are capableof being employed in a walking movement.

The inherent buoyancy of each of the boards 1 is sufficient to supportthe weight of the user, independently of the other board, during awalking movement in which the weight of the user is alternately shiftedfrom one board 1 to the other.

The sliding, articulated joints 11 each consist of a pair of rods 12each arranged parallel to a longitudinal edge of one of the boards 1, inspaced apart relation thereto, and rigidly connected thereto at its endsby brackets 13, land a connecting element 14 consisting of a pair oftubes 15 rigidly connected in parallel, spaced apart rela tion to eachother and each slidably and pivotally connected to orient the rodsv 12'.

FIGURES 12 to 14 of the drawing show a modified form of the inventionwhich advantageously may be formed of hollow plastic material, with theexception of the flap-s 4-, which are metal, as in FIGURES 1 to 11. Theboards 1, as shown in FIGURES 12 to 14, are comparatively wide relativeto their lengths, and a pair of poles 16 are each pivotally connected atone end, as at 17, to the top side of one of the boards 1.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 12 to 14 advantageously maycomprise hand operable propulsion means, for use in conjunction with thebuoyant supporting and traction means shown in FIGURES 1 to 11, ifdesired. r

The invention may be modified in various. ways without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof.

-What is claimed is:

1. In a device for walking on water, comprising a pair of boards, eachcharacterized by its inherent buoyancy and having a series of recessesspaced longitudinally of the undersuriace thereof, each of said recessesbeing inclined in depth toward the forward ends of said boards, theirgreater depth being defined by a wall rightangular to the undersurfacesof said boards, a flap pivoted in each of said recesses adjacent to saidright angular wall thereof and adapted to be folded thereinto when theboards are moved forwardly, the said right angular wall limiting thehingeability of said flap to retard rearward movement of each board, ina Walking motion, by the resistance of the water acting on the flapspivoted thereto, two pairs of parallel rods rigidly arranged in axialalignment along the adjacent edges of each of said boards, and spacedlongitudinally thereof, and means comprising pairs of rigid linksslidably and pivotally connecting the said rods on one of said boards tothe corresponding rods on the opposite board whereby the said boards arecapable of longitudinal and vertical reciprocal movement.

2. In a device for walking on water comprising, in combination, a pairof buoyant boards, rectangular in transverse section, and having aseries of recesses spaced along their undersurfaces, each of saidrecesses being inclined in depth toward the forward ends of said boardsand terminating in a right angular wall perpendicular to theundersurfaces of said boards, a flap pivoted at one end in each of saidrecesses adjacent to said right-angular wall and 'foldable into saidrecesses during forward movemeut of said boards, the said walls limitingthe hingeability of said flaps when said boards are moved rearwardly,two pairs of parallel rods rig-idly attached to the inner side of eachof said boards, said pairs of said rods being spaced apartlongitudinally of said boards, a linkage pivotally connecting one of apair of rods on one board to one of a corresponding pair of rods on theopposite board and capable of maintaining said boards in parallel spacedrelation, the said linkage being slidably and pivotally connected ateach end to said rods whereby said boards can be moved longitudinallyand vertically with respect to each other in a reciprocating motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS986,979 Hellman Mar. 14, 1911 2,792,577 Boyers May 21, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 470,1'14 France June 8, 1914 304,999 Italy Jan. 24, 1933331,733' Italy Nov. 14, 1935

2. IN A DEVICE FOR WALKING ON WATER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIROF BUOYANT BOARDS, RECTANGULAR IN TRANSVERSE SECTION, AND HAVING ASERIES OF RECESSES SPACED ALONG THEIR UNDERSURFACES, EACH OF SAIDRECESSES BEING INCLINED IN DEPTH TOWARD THE FORWARD ENDS OF SAID BOARDSAND TERMINATING IN A RIGHT ANGULAR WALL PERPENDICULAR TO THEUNDERSURFACES OF SAID BOARDS, A FLAP PIVOTED AT ONE END IN EACH OF SAIDRECESSES ADJACENT TO SAID RIGHT-ANGULAR WALL AND FOLDABLE INTO SAIDRECESSES DURING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BOARDS, THE SAID WALLS LIMITINGTHE HINGEABILITY OF SAID FLAPS WHEN SAID BOARDS ARE MOVED REARWARDLY,TWO PAIRS OF PARALLEL RODS RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE INNER SIDE OF EACH OFSAID BOARDS, SAID PAIRS OF SAID RODS BEING SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLYOF SAID BOARDS, A LINKAGE PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE OF A PAIR OF RODS ONONE BOARD TO ONE OF A CORRESPONDING PAIR OF RODS ON THE OPPOSITE BOARDAND CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING SAID BOARDS IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION, THESAID LINKAGE BEING SLIDABLY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT EACH END TO SAIDRODS WHEREBY SAID BOARDS CAN BE MOVED LONGITUDINALLY AND VERTICALLY WITHRESPECT TO EACH OTHER IN A RECIPROCATING MOTION.